Do you have thin lips and want them just a little bit larger? If so, the Botox Lip Flip may be right for you.
What is Botox?
Botox is a purified protein used to treat a number of things. The most common things Botox is used for is to treat wrinkles caused by facial expressions like the horizontal forehead wrinkles seen across your upper forehead when you raise your eyebrows. Botox is also commonly used to treat the vertical frown lines or elevens seen between your brows when you frown and the crow’s feet wrinkles seen around your eyes when you smile or squint. Botox can also be used for a number of other purposes such as to slim the lower face, to treat migraine headaches, to decrease excessive sweating, and for the Botox Lip Flip.
How does Botox work?
Botox works by relaxing muscles. In the upper face where you can see wrinkles caused by facial expressions, Botox relaxes the muscles that you use to make these expressions. When the muscles are relaxed and don’t contract so strongly, the wrinkles are softened or sometimes disappear completely.
What are the risks with Botox?
As with any injection, the risks with Botox include pain, bleeding, bruising, infection, redness, swelling, and tenderness. Dr. Alex uses a painless injection technique to make your Botox treatment very comfortable. We blow cold air on your skin and apply a vibrating distractor called the beauty bar on your skin to keep you comfortable. With the tiny needles that Dr. Alex uses for the treatment, you hardly feel a thing. Also, although rare, if you do get a bruise, we can treat it with a complimentary laser bruise treatment as early as the next business day. This usually makes the bruise go away within a day or so.
Why are my lips thin?
You have a muscle around your lips that lets you move your lips to eat, breathe, speak, etc. This muscle is called the orbicularis oris. Just like any other muscle, over time, the more you use it, the stronger it gets. Some people just naturally have stronger muscles. When this muscle gets strong, you can see thinning of the lips. This can occur in young people even in their teens. The thin lips are usually accentuated when you smile. Sometimes you can also see what’s called smoker’s lines. These are vertical lines above and below the lips which are seen over decades. Other people have a horizontal line above the upper lip seen when they smile. This is from contraction of another muscle that some people use and can also be treated with Botox.
What is the Botox Lip Flip?
The Botox Lip Flip is an easy treatment that usually uses four to six units of Botox above the upper lip and sometimes below the lower lip. By placing Botox in these areas, the orbicularis oris muscle becomes relaxed so your lips aren’t as thin when you smile. You can see an example in the before and after picture shown here.
When will I see results after a Botox Lip Flip?
It can take up to two weeks to see full results, so patience is important. Before your first Botox Lip Flip treatment, we’ll take pictures of you making facial expressions such as smiling. Dr. Alex recommends returning to the office about two to three weeks after you Botox Lip Flip treatment to take after photographs. This is when you can expect to see results of your Botox Lip Flip.
What should I do after a Botox Lip Flip?
You can resume most of your normal activities after a Botox Lip Flip. Dr. Alex recommends avoiding heat exposure, alcohol consumption, and strenuous exercise for 24 hours after you Botox Lip Flip treatment. Heat exposure refers to staying outside in the hot sun for prolonged periods, if it’s hot outside, and also indoor environments such as a hot bath, sauna or steam room. You also want to avoid hot or spicy foods such as soup, hot coffee, or hot tea (iced coffee and iced tea are okay). Strenuous exercise is any exercise that makes you sweat or short of breath. Dr. Alex also recommends staying upright without bending forward or lying flat for four hours after a Botox Lip Flip treatment. All of these things can cause the Botox to move and relax other muscles. In the upper face, this can lead to droopy eyelids or blurred vision. Around the mouth, it can lead to an asymmetric smile. Your lips may feel strange when moving them for a week or so after a Botox Lip Flip treatment.
How long will the results of my Botox Lip Flip treatment last?
Most people enjoy the results of their Botox Lip Flip for three to four months. At that time Dr. Alex recommends a maintenance Botox Lip Flip treatment.
Brilliant Distinctions
We are proud to participate in the Brilliant Distinctions Program. The Brilliant Distinctions Program is a rewards program where you get points for each Botox Lip Flip and other Botox treatment. You can use these points towards a discount at your next Botox Lip Flip treatment. You can also get points for fillers such as Voluma, Vollure, and Volbella as well as for Kybella for stubborn fat.
Dr. Alex has performed over 10,000 cosmetic treatments with many satisfied patients. Contact us to schedule an appointment for a free consultation with Dr. Alex in our Encino, CA office.